For many years, the computer mouse has been an essential part of computer systems for providing a human-computer interface. Normally, the conventional computer mouse includes a position sensing device, such as an optical sensor, a scroll wheel, and two or more buttons. The mouse can report positional information for controlling the location of a cursor on a two-dimensional screen, scroll up or down the screen, and report selection information. Although the computer mouse can be used for entering a number of controls, the mouse suffers from several limitations. For example, the number and type of buttons, optical sensors, and scroll wheels is fixed by the mechanical design of the specific mouse.
Development has been made over the years to improve the design and functionality of positional control devices, e.g., computer mice, in order to provide greater capabilities. For example, one alternative to the common mouse has been the introduction of touchpads, which are often found on laptop computers, to enable a variety of different interactions, including fingertip gestures. Also, gyromice have been developed in recent years. A gyromouse includes a gyroscope, which enables mouse motion in three-dimensional space by mapping mouse tilt with respect to an x-y axis.